Stream Throwing Snow's 'Aspera' EP

UK producer Throwing Snow (a.k.a. Ross Tones) is set to add another set of tunes to his diverse catalog next week with the release of the Aspera EP, a four-track effort which serves as a proper follow-up to the man's impressive Clamor EP from earlier this year. Set to drop on December 3 via his own fledging Snowfall label, Tones' latest effort is chocked full of the warm textures, inviting synths, and tasteful melodic touches which Throwing Snow has proved adept at handling. You can stream the Aspera EP in its entirety before it drops this coming Monday after the jump, where you'll also find a brief Q&A we did with the artist about his new record and his plans for the Snowfall imprint.

XLR8R: Is there a particular theme or approach that's unique to this new EP? Throwing Snow: I'm not sure I can claim anything in this EP to be unique, but I wanted it to fit with the Clamor EP, using similar sounds but taking it in a new direction. Aspera is meant to have a broken, smudged feel with an emphasis on melody rather than percussion. Again I focused on moving the arrangements away from anything too predictable, and hopefully that comes across.

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Do you tend to have a set goal or sonic concept for each of your releases? I do try to make each release work as a collection of tracks, and also show a progression from the other EPs on Snowfall. I suppose I see them together as a mini album, without the ebb and flow needed for an LP. I definitely want to show something different sonically in each of my releases.

What do you like about putting out records on your own label? I like having the freedom to release what I like and forming an aesthetic for the label. Creating the artwork and design is as much a part of the process as [making] the music, and they are meant to complement each other. It's just an excuse to create something that is just to my taste.

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Are there plans to include other artists on the Snowfall roster, or is it just an outlet for your own music at this point? At this point, it's only for my output, as A Future Without and Left_Blank are for releasing other people's music I love. However, I don't want to discount [the possibility of] this in the future.

Lastly, as we come to a close on 2012, any particular reflections, memories, or lessons learned this year that you'd like to share? 2012 has been a great year for me, full of memories. I've met loads of amazing people while playing gigs both in the UK and abroad, and I feel extremely lucky to have been given the opportunity. It's also been sobering because I've come across so much mind-blowing music that hasn't got much recognition. I think this is because of how much [music] is out there and how fast the turnover of interest is. I only hope this forces music to become more unique in order for it to stand out. Having said this, people seem to be refreshingly open to a wide range of music, so I can't wait to see what 2013 has to offer.